“Luna? Are you sure you’re feeling well?” Celestia’s flawless voice splintered with worry and anxiety for her sister’s well-being. Having only just started getting used to Luna’s presence around the castle once more, Celestia was determined not to lose it again. And true to her vow and promise, Celestia had done any and everything she could to help ease her sister’s transition back into society… and still Luna seemed aloof with generally everything in day to day Equestrian running’s.

Luna blinked as she jumped from her recently created and newly categorized thoughts and concerns to look up at the “ill at ease” expression her sister was given her. Luna mentally sighed, not in annoyance but in an “I appreciate the concerns, but I’m a big mare that can handle my own problems now” sigh. It was truly wonderful to be back and finally able to grasp her sister in her hooves once more, it truly was and Luna really did miss Celestia, but her constant smothering was starting to suffocate her.

Luna only wanted maybe a day, a week at the most, to clear her mind, process, and adapt to this… this Eden of a kingdom her sister had built in her absence. To be able to explore and interact with their subjects a bit more informally as a fellow pony and not as their ruler, maybe even make a friend or two in the process. If Luna had to decide on any possible good to have come out of her banishment, she would have likely picked the swiping of her slate clean.

Without a doubt, many events would have been different if she had ruled by her sister’s side during those 1,000 years, but she likely would have followed in Celestia’s hoof steps in setting herself up as a demi-god. In truth they were demi-gods in both term and power, but separating themselves in almost all aspects of their subjects’ lives just because of their title and power? Nay, Luna thought over and over again to herself. They should be involved in the lives of their subjects more than just sitting on their elevated throne and passing judgment, shouldn't they?

“We are humbled sister, and cherish your sympathy towards our well-being, but… “ Luna trailed off in brief thought, wondering how to word this next part without possibly causing her sister to panic.

“We feel thou may be overdoing it.” She bluntly stated, looking her sister in the eyes. Luna saw the flicker of emotions playing through Celestia’s eyes as they analyzed and battled for a response. Her muzzle retaining its practiced and calculated expression during the entire process before finally dropping in defeat.

“Luna,” The older sister weakly spoke. “I...I’m sorry if I’m really bothering you that much. The day I banished you… I nearly lost my will to continue on. Only for the well-being of our ponies did I even try to continue.”

Celestia’s tone, devoid of its usual warmth and radiance, started delicately plucking at Luna’s heartstrings, creating a heart aching mix of doubt and guilt over her blunt and now obvious poorly chosen words.

“Luna…” She silently flinched at her own name.

“The last thousand years were nothing more than a dark and depressing time for me. I locked myself away for nearly a decade to grieve, and would have stayed longer if it weren’t for my…our ponies.” Celestia momentarily paused to fix the more noticeable cracks that squirmed along her mask.

“It wasn’t until Twilight came along that I felt that similar spark we shared, sister. Up till that point I didn’t really live, only existed and nothing more. Plagued by ghosts from the past, my soul could find no release from its eternal sorrow, if I may borrow the words of the famed gentlecolt E. Poe. He was a troubled, but truly brilliant pony in all senses of the word, and sometimes I think he was maybe the only other pony that understood what I was going through at the time.”

Following Celestia’s deep and honest confession, the sisters continued their walk, only now haunted by a lingering silence. Celestia kept her regal appearance for the benefit of those they passed, but eternally she was in anguish. Her sister, Luna, fared no better if not worse. Her pose and self-confidence were almost nonexistent; favoring the tired and defeated look of a scolded foal, the night princess trudged alongside her sister hoping for the ill tasted mood to go away.

A few more crawling minutes, and a quick turn here and there, and the pair found themselves in front a pair of simply massive, aged oak doors that marked the entrance to Celestia’s chambers. The two solar guards noticed the pair, and to most would have gone unnoticed. But to Luna’s surreal eyes, she noticed them quickly twitch in alertness at her presence.

“Truly I’m forever feared and alone.” Luna sulkily thought.

Surprisingly, at least it seemed to Luna, Celestia gave a small nod to the two guards, who left in haste, leaving the two siblings alone only after giving the “monster” a wide berth. “Luna. Please don’t ta-”

“Tis fine dear sister.” Luna cut her off. “We are not concerned with what others think of us.”

Celestia, for a pleading moment, felt a slight ping of joy at hearing her younger sister’s words. Thinking of them as possible signs of her growing tenacious personality… but that was shot down as quickly as she thought of it.

“For they are right to do so. We do not need, nor crave their affections.” She stated with such venom and hatred that Celestia nearly jolted back in fright. Taking action before anything else was to happen; she moved forward, surprising the night mare with her sudden embrace. Stunned and unsure how to proceed, Luna stood still as her sister poured every ounce of love and sympathy she could muster into her hug until finally Luna caved. With painfully guarded tears, she graciously leaned into her older sibling’s breast, greedily eager to accept any attention she could get.

“Sister…” Luna whispered, unable to summon anymore words while her rambunctious thoughts bombarded her mental walls; unable to focus or decide on anything other than to silently accept the comforting hug.

“I’ve missed you so terribly, Luna. It’s good to finally have you back.”

“We…I missed thee as well.” Luna returned her sister’s hug with earnest. The feeling of worth and belonging always seemed to dance just within Luna’s hooves before vanishing into dust. It stung her deeply. Millennia of isolation with nothing more to keep her mind occupied than festering thoughts of revenge and ill intent melted in that moment. Luna hugged her sister even more, not caring if her tears were likely staining the white mare’s pristine coat.

“Sister, your words are far too kind and forgiving for what we had done to you.” Luna could practically feel her sister’s smile grow as the radiant warmth that engulfed her increased a bit. This was going to be harder than she had first thought. “And it pains us greatly that you, dear sister, will never see the world we would create.”

Before her words could sink in, Luna summoned the ghostly dagger she had been concealing and plunged it deep into her sister’s neck. Celestia’s eyes widen with true disbelief, struggling to break the hug she had started, only to find Luna’s embrace had tighten. The struggles lessened and the muffled cries went silent before the solar mare finally collapsed limply onto the cold tile floor. Fixed with steely regret, Luna closed her eyes, slightly ashamed of the act she had just committed; a necessary act, she quickly noted mentally before silencing her tears to look once more at figure she had called sister, now lying unmoving and dim on the floor.

“They’ll come to love me as they did you. They’ll come to love and adore the night as they do with your day. I truly wished events didn’t transpire the way they did sister.” Luna’s somber tone deceitfully preached to the lifeless body before striding down the meek halls towards the throne room.

The transition was swift and subtle. The light thumps and clops of horseshoes grew heavy with weight and power, echoing her presence to any and all that still lingered at this hour. Tiny and delicate wings suddenly became enormous and powerfully wings capable of creating gusts and storms with a single flap. The rest of her body quickened to match the new rush of power being released and wisely displayed. Only the sun sibling carried such a similar aw worthy aura of power, the only difference between Celestia’s and this new power being the constant and chilling wind of fear that followed her closely.

Night Guards and the occasional castle staff that crossed her path quickly and hurriedly bowed before her, only dashing off in panic after she had left them. Her Night Guard, to their credit, hadn't lost their composure even though the faint traces of worry and uncertainties were plainly obvious to her. But it didn't matter. They’ll quickly learn, just as every otherpony would learn. She could feel the confusion and awe as she passed, smiling faintly at the “admiration” seeping from them. A slight nod and the two before her opened the massive doors with post haste, illuminating the interior within with her Majesty’s beautiful and subtle radiance.

She didn't much as blink, let alone acknowledge the few guards that guarded the room, nor the state’s ponies that oh-so-dignified “graced” the Grand Throne with their presence. The fearful glances, the murmurs of disbelief soothingly courted Nightmare’s ears as she pressed on to the object of her desire and attention: The Throne.

The ponies reminded her of statues: neatly displayed in even, kept rows, unmoving yet full of emotion, she thought to herself until the object she sought was finally upon her. Nightmare Moon paused only for a moment, but it might as well have been a lifetime to the others that occupied the room, before lifting a massive hoof to take her first step; even at such a soothing, and pleasant ascension up the stone steps, her hammer hoofs echoed throughout the vastly quite chamber they found themselves in.

Reaching the very top, the literal seat of power in the world, Nightmare Moon stopped and turned around to face the ponies as a politician would to address the masses. Except there was no speech or encouraging talks to be given, in fact no words were to be spoken at all. All were quiet as their eyes stared with fearful interest at the benevolently dangerous eyes so silently judging them.

Her horn suddenly flared to life with lunar magic, startling the ponies and causing a few to bolt for the massive doors, but they too flared to life as the massive doors groaned closed, sealing them off from the rest of the world. All the ponies turned as one, gazes on the gates to their cell, praying to Celestia not to confirm their fears and sudden realizations, praying that this was just some sort of harmless nightmare that they’d all wake up from and nothing else, unaware that Celestia would never hear those prayers. They were trapped within the room with this twisted and dark version of their benevolent and bright ruler.

Luna stirred slightly, but nothing more as her perpetual, calculating gaze lingered from one pony to the next as she looked from one side of the room to the other. Her stone cold poker face never revealing her thoughts or motives as her head continued to turn in comparison to an owl’s. Nightmare Moon finished her examination of the room, silently soaking in their “respect and admiration” for her and her power. For what she could arguably say was the first time in over 1,000 years she felt such true and uncensored bliss, Nightmare Moon would even dare compare it to the first time she had managed to raise the moon by herself.

“This feeling… it’s intoxicating.” She drunkenly thought to herself while still drowning in the emotions.

“You love it, don’t you Nightmare?” A voice manifested within the sanctuary of her fortress like mind. She blinked once, twice and continued to stare at the crowd of displaced and anxiety ridden ponies.

"You do love it, it radiates ever so brightly from you.” The persistent voice wisely stated once more. Whoever this pony was, it knew her well.

“Just look at them, at how they cower and shudder in submissive obedience. This is the way it should have always been and should continue to be.” This pony knew her too well…and yet she strangely loved it! Nightmare Moon found herself siding with this voice more and more, and even nodding in agreement to it. It, he, she, whoever or whatever the case may be, this was somepony she could get along with.

“Do it.” The voice soothingly compelled the raven Alicorn.

Nightmare Moon gave into the spectral hooves that now guided her every action and suddenly felt her body lifting from its throne. She watched through her own eyes, taking a back seat as her body moved on its own, raising to all fours as the magic pulsed through her veins until gathering at the tip of her horn. It shined brightly in a rich nebulous of dark colors, building and burning brighter toward the final moment which no pony understood.

She felt it, she truly felt it. In all her long years upon this land did she ever conceive such a thought, let alone even risk to imagine one? And yet she found herself willingly going along with this “pony’s” ever increasing vision of grandeur. But that’s how it’s supposed to be, isn’t it? When aiming high, you shoot for the stars…and what star is bigger than the sun?

At first, the ponies flinched instinctively from her sudden and unexpected movements before, with some courage, turning their heads to face her once more. Her horn lit up in a dangerous beauty of nightly colors, filling nearly every corner of the room with its hypnotic spirals; for that brief moment, they forgot about their fears and concerns, too intent to watch the magical hues dance and twist in an almost ironically tranquil tone.

Nightmare Moon’s face contorted in pseudo-anger and pain as the stress and pressure begin taking its toll. It was proving to be an even more daunting task then the voice had first let on, but she couldn’t stop now. To stop would only prove her own weakness and unfitness to rule in front of her subjects. Mainly it would prove her sister right along.

With a strained and pain enforced yell, Nightmare threw her head back in a show of force and power. The tip of her horn shined brighter than before, the hues intensifying as they pulsed brighter with more potent magic.

Her subjects reacted, covering their eyes with hooves, hats, scarves, or anything they could use to fight back the burning light and just like that it was over. The burning light faded, returning their vision slowly to normal, and soon the mutters and surprised gasps coursed shortly after. Standing with her legs spread apart in fatigue while she inhaled deep, controlled breaths was a triumphantly smiling Nightmare Moon, but the ponies paid little notice to her since their attention was focused on something more frightful. Brightly, or rather dimly, floating in the sky was the symbol of their protector, and mother to them all. The sun, hidden behind the now tainted moon, had flung their once heavenly, glorious land into a perpetual gloom of twilight.

Nightmare Moon inhaled deeply once more, having finally controlled her breathing before correcting her posture to its formal regal state once more. Her time on the moon surprising did teach her something important: the moon was, in fact, very, very cold. And learning from that experience had taught her that the same would happen if she were to have done the same to Equestria. So, Nightmare Moon somewhat reluctantly settled on a compromise of sorts that was a win-win to all, a permanent and total eclipse would reign over all instead.

Nightmare Moon noticed one or two ponies here and there falling, disappearing into the crowd and for a moment she mused the thought of them trying to hide from her gaze. But when a few more followed, her musings were turned upside down, unable to make out what was happening until the entire room followed the examples of the few. She couldn't believe what she was seeing! The entire mass of ponies, even with fear and shaken expressions etched on their faces, were bowing to her. To her! The unexpected and abrupt feeling of energy and pride rushed dangerously through her entire being. Finally! These ponies were wising up, and understood she was the absolute and only true ruler this land needed and, if she were a weaker mare, she would have started to cry.

It was low, and hushed at first. A few testing the waters no doubt, but soon the rest followed, filling the chamber with the uniformed chanting of her name.

“Nightmare Moon! Nightmare Moon! Nightmare Moon!”

The mass continued their chant in earnest and vigor. Nightmare Moon, filled with such delightful and restored self-arrogance, returned to sitting on her throne, content to listen to them chant her name for a bit longer.

It’s good to be Queen.

The nightmare was violently shattered, releasing the Princess of the Night from her slumber. She yelled in fright and confusion at what she had just partook and witnessed.

“OH BY THE MOON AND THE STARS!” She cried out. The wind from her cry fluttered the enchanted curtains, letting a flicker of sunlight enter. Normally this would be enough to snap Luna out of her thoughts, but this... no this was something else entirely.

She grasped the drenched covers with trembling hooves in an act of restoring some much need bravado. Luna barely felt it as her pin pricked eyes blinked madly as they adjusted to the light. In her entire existence (except maybe after her redemption by the Elements) she had never felt such a raw frightening helplessness; from a dream no less! From the one realm Luna could truly call her own, and then this nightmare happens. If she couldn't even protect herself from such an alarming occurrence, than how could she protect her subjects?

By her wondrous night what could have caused such a... realistic and nearly lifelike nightmare. The nightmare felt too real and personal for it to be simply her mind running wild. It had purpose and meaning behind it, but as to what it was unnerved Luna. The thought of her having a relapse crossed her mind but was quickly discarded like bad candy, and yet she found herself clinging to it the more she wondered about other possible solutions for the nightmare.

A relapse... something about the word didn’t taste right.

“We need to talk to somep.. NEY!” Luna quickly changed her decision. She was only tolerated as it was already and if word got out that she was having a possible relapse already...

“They’ll kill me.” She whispered. What could cleanse this pony from the darkness of her own heart if the Elements of Harmony couldn’t? Nothing could.

“Death would be the only logical choice to protect the citizens of this land, and the rest of the world from...me.” Luna felt her already cracked heart shatter just a bit more. There had to be a way, a meaning or something she could do to solve this on her own without telling another living soul.

“We need to treat this... illness, no disease that inflicts us with much pain and torment. We need an idea, a starting point on how to begin our endeavor.” Luna voiced her thoughts to help clear some of the burden from her mind. She pondered for a few minutes, before glancing at one of the many windows. Using her magic, she drew one of the curtains back just enough to gauge the time of day: it was just past noon.

Luna knew she couldn’t tell another soul, but knew not of a possible place to start her search. The only ones close enough to be considered an option where her Knight Captain and the two friends that constantly watched her door. Any other pony wouldn’t understand her plight…

She needed somepony more sympathetic to her struggles... somepony that not only firsthoof knows what she went through but one that carries a lot of weight with words.

“A visit to our sister’s student is in order.”

Author's Note

No excuses for the very long delay on this story, so here's two chapters to hold you over until I finish the next two chapters. The second promised chapter will be up in a day or two after one last look over.